This site provides information on Reysen Competition Advice & Advocacy (RCAA), a boutique law firm that focusses on competition law related issues. Based in Frankfurt, Germany, and Brussels, Belgium, RCAA lawyers are experts in EU and German competition law as well as the provision of strategic advice on the impact of competition rules and public policy on commercial strategies on a world-wide level.

The Rankings

Global Competition Review - GCR 100

Brussels

RCAA is headed by Brussels-based Marc Reysen, a former O’Melveny & Myers partner, and Evelyn Niitväli, previously of Buntscheck in Munich, who remains based in Germany. This year they were joined by Weil Gotshal & Manges and Flick Glocke alumnus Stephan Wachs, who was appointed as counsel, primarily working out of the Frankfurt office – evidence that the firm is growing its practice “one step at a time”, Reysen says. So far, RCAA has bagged some impressive confidential work in the behavioural sphere that one would typically expect to be handled by a much larger shop. In mergers, the firm is acting for Airdata in a General Court appeal against the DG Comp clearance of Telefónica/E-Plus, and bagged Phase I German clearance for Fraport as it set up a cargo-handling joint venture with WTS. The team is also involved in the Ball/Rexam deal, and represented Nestlé during a Federal Cartel Office investigation of information-sharing arrangements.

Founded in 2014, the competition boutique RCAA Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten advises clients ‘at the level of leading international firms' ; the team is valued in particular for the 'personal approach to providing advice'. The firm covers all types of matters related to competition law with a focus on cartel investigations and merger control matters. Thus, the firm recently represented Can-Pack as a main complainant in the merger investigation in matters Ball / Rexam before the European Commission. 'Excellently organised', Evelyn Niitväli provides advice that is focussed and 'strategically sound'. Marc Reysen, who shares his time betrween Frankfurt and Brussels is considered an ‘experienced competition lawyer' who 'does not shy away from getting involved in the detail'.

Assessment: The boutique firm with offices in Frankfurt and Brussels has quickly established itself in this field. Competitors praise the group of lawyers headed by Dr. Marc Reysen and Evelyn Niitväli as „a smootly functioning team“ and single out Niitväli as being "service minded and pragmatic“. Reysen has established excellent relationships with corporate boutiques which do not offer competition law advice; they also become active as a referral partner in cases of conflicts. Often, the firm takes on matters for competitors wishing to challenge complex mergers such as in Telefónica/E-Plus or Ball/Rexam. Recently, work for a major banking client in a cartel matter has kept the firm busy. Given the heavy workload, the firm has recently taken on an experienced competition lawyer from Flick Gocke as a counsel. (2 Partner, 1 Counsel)

Clients: CanPack as a third party complainant in EU-merger control matters in Ball/Rexam (Phase II); Fraport concerning a Joint Venture with WFS; Airdata in relation to their challenge of the clearance in Telefónica/E-Plus; Nestlé-group company Herta in a cartel matter ‚Wurst‘ (before the Higher Regional Court in Dusseldorf); Vivescia concerning the acquisition of Interbrau; a major bank as a leniency applicant in a European and German cartel investigation.

Clients enthusiastically praise Evelyn Niitväli of RCAA Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB, as one affirms: “She communicates with precision and confidence, and always makes it a point to give advice that fits her clients' products, services, corporate culture and legal needs.” Her practice encompasses merger control and cartel proceedings, antitrust compliance and co-operation and distribution agreements. She advised Winterhoff on the merger control aspects of its acquisition by AL-KO.